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Microsoft AI

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Senate Legislation Would Outlaw Unauthorized AI-Generated Likenesses; SAG-AFTRA Lauds “No Fakes Act”

In the film, our worst fears about artificial intelligence come true. Though the lightning fast development of AI may seem recent, AI fears may touch on basic human instincts to survive.

The uncanny valley, explained: Why you might find AI creepy

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While there is quite a bit of buzz and hype around AI, it is a technology that can add tremendous value to security programs. It is hard to go anywhere in the security profession these days without the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) coming up.

Applying AI to API Security

prosa.ai

prosaai

A contract, in general, is the representation of an agreement between parties. It could be spoken, but it’s usually a physical and/or digital document specifying the nature and terms of said agreement, as well as the rights and obligations of each party. If some of the involved actors misbehave, then the dispute could be solved in a court of law. We don’t have courts in Obyte, but we do have safe digital contracts. . Indeed, smart contracts on distributed ledgers like Bitcoin or are digital agreements whose conditions are enforced by code, rather than law. Contracts are mostly tied to local laws and authorities, but they can also be automatic and self-enforced Obyte In other words, they’re computer programs designed to carry on some pre-set conditions automatically once an event (physical or digital) happens. The best part is that you don’t need to know how to code to use smart contracts. Similarly, you don’t need to code to find some other useful and user-friendly types of digital contracts in Obyte. You’ll just need your wallet and a partner to make the contract with. Let’s learn more about this. Smart Contracts & Autonomous Agents We’ve defined a smart contract as a type of automatic and digital agreement, but we do have two kinds of tools that make money programmable in Obyte: smart contracts and autonomous agents (AA). Both of them are computer programs designed to make a specific (and digital) task, but just one of them involves two or more “real” parties. They’re like vending machines, offering a task (exchanges, attestations, donations, etc.) as a service for real people. aren’t contracts, so, there’s close to nothing to negotiate with them. Autonomous Agents On the other hand, a contract (smart or not) always involves at least two parties. And that’s what a contract is for, after all: it mediates between real parties. In Obyte, anyone can create their own easily through the wallet —without any code. The feature is there to help all types of users avoid additional intermediaries in any kind of negotiation or transaction. smart contracts When starting a smart contract with someone else, you agree to lock your funds inside this app until the agreed terms are met by the other party. It could work for any kind of or shared wallets. conditional payment Offering a Smart Contract The first step to offer a smart contract to another party in is that both of you have previously downloaded the wallet. Then, if you can take some and back up your seed, the better. Obyte security measures Most contracts in Obyte can be done through the “Chat” section of the wallet. The parties must be in the “Contacts” list of the other for it, so, the next step is to “Add a new device”, and send or accept an invitation to connect. Once done, you can start a chat to discuss the contract conditions and exchange your Obyte addresses. By clicking on the other’s address (Alice’s, for example), you’ll have the option to offer a smart contract. If the result of some real-world event (like a soccer match) is needed to complete the agreement, then you should type a selected (a data feed) from . oracle address the list of oracles available on Obyte You can add several devices, either controlled by yourself or by several parties. This way, most of the involved parties or devices must authorize every transaction before spending funds. Another way to use smart contracts is by creating a multi-signature (shared) wallet. Prosaic Contracts As the name may suggest (prose = regular text), these are more traditional contracts but are registered forever on the DAG. Instead of a hand-written signature, both parties sign their agreement with their Obyte wallets. And, the signatures created in the process are completely valid digital signatures. They’re classified as advanced electronic signatures under the European electronic signature regulation and similar laws of some other countries. So, it’s a fully secure contract that could be enforced by law or by an external arbitrator. isn’t a smart contract, though. It’s legally binding, but it doesn’t lock any funds, hence, it can’t guarantee the contract’s performance. Courts would do so instead, like in traditional contracts. A prosaic contract That’s why it is highly recommended to use real-world identities when signing a prosaic contract in Obyte. To do this, both users can use the available in the same wallet, through the Real Name Attestation Bot in the Bot Store (Chat tab). ID attestation features After both wallets are paired and attested, the path to offering a prosaic contract is the same as offering a smart contract: Chat – Contacts – [Device name] – [Address] – Offer a prosaic contract. You need to write the contract with your own terms, set a duration time for the offer, and share it with the other party. If they accept, you’ll have legal proof of your agreement, but it’ll be available only in your wallets for privacy. Contracts With Arbitration Oracles are services that provide external (off-chain) information to the distributed ledger —but they can only do so much. The potential agreements between people aren’t always related to publicly available data, like who won a soccer match. Instead, there’s a lot of private and/or very specific information that could only be shared by the parties. A job contract, for example. If the employer or the employee misbehaves, a crypto oracle won’t help with it. That’s the raison d'etre of the in Obyte. You can write whatever terms you want and share them with the other party, just like in a prosaic contract. contracts with arbitration They’re a mix between prosaic contracts and smart contracts. However, contracts with arbitration can lock funds until the conditions are met. Selecting an Arbiter In this kind of contract, it’s assumed that one side is the payer (buyer), while the other is doing a job or offering a product (seller) in return for payment. The contract is only shared between paired wallets, as we’ve seen above, and the funds involved are locked. After the seller completes their part of the deal (do the job or send the product), the buyer should release the funds if everything’s ok with the terms. Likewise, if the seller considers that they won’t be able to meet the terms, they can refund the money with a single click. Now, if one of the parties misbehaves, they can open a dispute to solve it. Long before this point, at the moment of writing the contract, the address of an arbiter had to be selected. In case of a dispute, the selected arbiter will be the one to decide who keeps the money. An arbiter in such contracts is a trusted and identified (human) third party registered in the —a marketplace of arbiters offering their dispute resolution services. You can find several arbiters there, and check their data before selecting one. ArbStore You can see their bio, number of contracts and resolved disputes, last activity, languages, and service fees. The fees are payable only in case of a dispute. You don’t need to pay anything if the contract ends without a dispute. Beyond them, if you find the arbiter decision unfair for any reason, you can report them to the ArbStore moderators. They won’t be able to refund all your money, but if they find that the decision wasn’t right, the arbiter could be delisted and you could recover at least part of your funds. By using smart contracts and contracts with arbitration, by locking the funds involved. it’s possible to even build any kind of marketplace (exchanges, jobs, used stuff, NFTs, etc.) that automatically protects both parties Prosaic contracts, on the other hand, are traditional (but digital) legal contracts protected by the law alone. Featured Vector Image by vectorpouch / Freepik

How to Use Contracts in Obyte: Smart, Prosaic, and With Arbitration

Cómo utilizar contratos en Obyte: inteligente, prosaico y con arbitraje

Comment utiliser les contrats dans Obyte : intelligent, prosaïque et avec arbitrage

ओबाइट में अनुबंधों का उपयोग कैसे करें: स्मार्ट, प्रोसिक और मध्यस्थता के साथ

Obyte で契約を使用する方法: スマート、プロモザイク、仲裁あり

Como usar contratos em Obyte: inteligente, prosaico e com arbitragem

Cách sử dụng hợp đồng trong Obyte: Thông minh, bình thường và có trọng tài

如何在 Obyte 中使用合约：智能、平淡且带仲裁

The legendary phenomenon of hair Value propositions. Get this right and your product is off to a great start. Naturally, it’s not easy to do but before you tear your hair out over it, pause for a moment. The ultimate answer might literally be sticking out! Yes, this post is about that ultimate product — hair. It’s natural, ubiquitous and has economics eating out of its hand. Hair offers a fascinating lens through which to explore timeless product principles. Let’s dive into the tangled world of hair and uncover its secrets to product design mastery. Naturally unnatural Hair is a protein filament (mostly keratin) that grows from skin follicles. Hair is natural. Everyone has hair, in various parts of their body. It grows continually and importantly, can be cut relatively painlessly. Head hair of course can also be styled in various fashion. protein filament follicles In Jobs To Be Done parlance, hair has a functional, social and emotional dimensions. It’s a sensory interface and plays a part in thermal regulation. It’s emotional and social dimensions however are much more significant. Hair is a big part of our appearance and grooming. Having hair, or not, significantly alters our appearance, and, others perception of us. In the game of first impressions, hair can be a crowning glory or arch nemesis. Staying at a societal level, hair is also involved in several cultural and religious rituals and prescriptions. Jobs To Be Done Already we can detect 3 aspects of great value: Abundant supply
Easy harvesting
Delivering across functional, social and emotional dimensions Abundant supply Easy harvesting Delivering across functional, social and emotional dimensions While impressive, these attributes are relatively prosaic compared to what makes hair the blockbuster, G.O.A.T. product: Perpetual dissatisfaction. Perpetual dissatisfaction. We are simply never satisfied with hair. It can always be longer, heavier, shinier, straighter whatever. More importantly, hair is usually in places where you don’t want it, and usually not in places where you want it! 😧 Notice, I’ve used the term want* not need. In nature, nothing is ever superfluous. We have hair where we need them. The question is if we have hair where we want them! need Take men for example. They shave facial hair but their head starts to resemble a shiny bowling ball, they scramble for baldness remedies. Hair wields significant social and emotional power. A clean shave can make a man look sharp and dapper, while a thinning crown often leads to a frown. If the situation was reversed — head hair grew forever, but facial hair could disappear over time, there likely wouldn’t be many complaints. Women will most likely have similar concerns. Men or women, one thing is clear: hair desirability is effectively a crusade against natural forces. We are continually going against the natural flow. hair desirability is effectively a crusade against natural forces. Perpetual dissatisfaction and desire. Desire of course is an unquenchable thirst. This means that the demand for the product (hair) is eternal, undying. Globally, the haircare industry is worth $100 billion. Although it’s a large amount, it most likely undervalues the vast latent ecosystem surrounding haircare. unquenchable industry Circular Business Introduction. Growth. Maturity. Decline. This is the lifecycle of most products. Great products, and those that provide enduring value, eschew this linear lifecycle and aim for circular flow. Today we talk about the circular economy, a model of production and consumption that keeps a product in the make-use-reuse cycle as long as possible before sustainable disposal (and ideally regeneration). circular economy Hair is used in many products. Wigs are obvious destinations (technically a value-add product). Indeed, human hair is also to soak up oil spills. Besides, being a biological (by)product, hair, in its natural form, is also biodegradable. Of course this is just human hair we’re talking about. There’s also animal hair, a cognate product that humans have a long history of putting to good use. human hair Three other attributes identified: Mutable. Reusable. Recyclable. Mutable. Reusable. Recyclable. Attributes Examining hair from both a product and value standpoint can uncover the lasting qualities of iconic products: Have abundant supply
Are easy to harvest
Add value across functional, social and emotional dimensions
Inspire perpetual dissatisfaction
Re-purposable
Reusable, Recyclable Have abundant supply H Are easy to harvest A Add value across functional, social and emotional dimensions A Inspire perpetual dissatisfaction I Re-purposable R Reusable, Recyclable R Entirely co-incidentally (really!), these attributes conveniently form the acronym HAAIRR. HAAIRR Hair is an amazing product. The only thing that comes close is probably oil. Petroleum has 6000 byproducts, and without it our life would not be imaginable. The key difference of course is that it’s a non-renewable source, whose use has considerable ecological ill-effects. Hair provides a masterclass in creating enduring value propositions. Product managers will do well to emulate these (HAAIRR) attributes into their designs. They won’t get all of them. Hair is the unsurpassable G.O.A.T. product for a reason. But at least, they will know what utopia looks like and where the North Star is. Product managers will do well to emulate these (HAAIRR) attributes into their designs.

Bad Hair Day? Not for Product Managers

Bad Hair Day? nie vir produkbestuurders nie

খারাপ চুলের দিন? পণ্য পরিচালকদের জন্য নয়

Dårlig hårdag? ikke for produktledere

¿Día del cabello malo? no para los gerentes de productos

Tidak untuk manajer produk

プロダクトマネージャーのための「Bad Hair Day」

ថ្ងៃកាត់បន្ថយ? មិនសម្រាប់អ្នកគ្រប់គ្រងផលិតផល

Blogų plaukų diena? ne produktų vadybininkams

Dia do Cabelo ruim?Não para gerentes de produtos

Ziua părului rău? Nu pentru managerii de produse

Zlý deň vlasov? nie pre produktových manažérov

Kötü Saçlar Günü? Ürün Yöneticileri için Değil

Cryptocurrency is software handled with other software (wallets, exchanges, etc.), therefore, some technical issues are bound to happen here and there for its users. As with any other software, these problems are occasional and not everyone experiences them.  Also, they’re often related to something the user did or didn’t do, and are easily fixable. Crypto troubleshooting may vary widely among different platforms and networks, but some common issues have easy solutions, without waiting for support. Whether transferring funds, managing private keys, or dealing with network settings, crypto users may face some technical hiccups. Understanding how deposits, withdrawals, and fees work can prevent common mistakes while knowing what to do in case of lost access or incorrect transactions can save time and stress. Let’s explore some cases. Whether transferring funds, managing private keys, or dealing with network settings, crypto users may face some technical hiccups. Loss of Devices or Private Keys You’ll need to remember this, always: cryptocurrencies aren’t banks or companies. There’s no “I forgot my password” button to recover your funds. The greatest strength of decentralized cryptocurrencies can also be their biggest drawback—it all depends on personal responsibility. Private keys are the sole means of accessing funds, giving owners complete control. However, because only they have access to these keys, losing them means losing their funds permanently, with no way to recover them or seek assistance. cryptocurrencies aren’t banks or companies Private keys are usually made up of twelve or more random words, much easier to memorize than any crypto address. You can do that, but, of course, it’s heavily advised to write them down offline and keep them in a safe place, far from curious eyes. The “offline” bit is important: leave them in your digital spaces as a screenshot or text, and you’re risking that a hacker (or even a family member or coworker?) can gain access to them. Anyone who has these words (keys) can trade with those funds. Don’t forget it. Private keys Private keys The “offline” bit is important: leave them in your digital spaces as a screenshot or text, and you’re risking that a hacker (or even a family member or coworker?) can gain access to them. Now, if you lost the device (mobile, desktop, or another) where you had your crypto wallet, that does have a very easy solution, at least for funds. The coins were never there, in the first place. Just go to another (personal) device, download the wallet app of your preference, and, instead of creating a new wallet, select the option to recover a wallet. Type your private keys there, and voilá. It’s important to note that this works only for public token funds in Obyte. The private assets, like Blackbytes, and other data stored in the wallet (private profiles, smart contracts, prosaic contracts, contracts with arbitration, chats, contacts, etc.) are stored in the user's device. Therefore, you must make separate backups for this data. It’s important to note that this works only for public token funds in Obyte. On the other hand, if you don’t remember your private keys or lost the paper/metal tag on which you have written them, but still have access to the digital app, you can recover your seed from there again if the function is still available. If it’s not, run and transfer all the funds to another wallet of your own (with private keys) before it’s too late.a Deposits & Withdrawals Depositing and withdrawing cryptocurrency can sometimes be tricky, especially for beginners. The process varies depending on whether you’re using a centralized exchange (CEX) or a non-custodial wallet or a decentralized exchange (DEX). In centralized exchanges (companies that offer this service, like Binance or Biconomy), deposits and withdrawals may be delayed or made impossible if your account isn’t fully verified, or if the exchange is undergoing maintenance, or if it went bankrupt, or it was hacked. or Biconomy or Biconomy Additionally, most centralized exchanges have deposit and withdrawal limits, which may require identity verification (KYC) to increase. It’s also important to double-check the selected crypto network when withdrawing, as sending funds to the wrong network could result in permanent loss or, at best, a complicated recovery process if the exchange allows it. We’ve written a guide to identify crypto networks. KYC KYC It’s also important to double-check the selected crypto network when withdrawing, as sending funds to the wrong network could result in permanent loss or, at best, a complicated recovery process if the exchange allows it. to identify crypto networks to identify crypto networks Decentralized Trading Decentralized Trading On decentralized exchanges and wallets, the process is more self-managed, meaning there’s often no customer support to assist with failed transactions. These aren’t that common, though. One key issue can be liquidity—certain tokens may not have enough buy/sell activity, causing delays or price slippage. That’s the difference between the expected price of a trade and the actual price at which it is executed, usually due to low liquidity or high market volatility. You could lose important percentages this way, but the DEX will always warn you. Network congestion can also lead to longer confirmation times and higher fees. Constantly ensure you have enough balance to cover gas fees, as all non-native tokens (including stablecoins) require the native coin of the network (such as ETH or GBYTE) to process transactions. If a transaction is stuck due to low fees, you may be able to speed it up by replacing it with a higher-fee version, depending on the network’s features. Also, depending on your wallet provider, you may be able to change transaction fee percentages in the settings. Constantly ensure you have enough balance to cover gas fees, as all non-native tokens (including stablecoins) require the native coin of the network (such as ETH or GBYTE) to process transactions. including stablecoins including stablecoins by replacing it by replacing it Regardless of the platform, always confirm the wallet address before sending funds, as crypto transactions cannot be reversed. If you experience issues, checking transaction explorers can provide insight into what went wrong. Most wallets offer links to chain explorers in every transaction. Incorrect Address or Network Sending cryptocurrency to the wrong address or network is a common mistake, often caused by human error, scams, or malware. Scammers use tactics like address poisoning, where they send small amounts to a user’s wallet to create a malicious but similar address in their transaction history, hoping the user copies it by mistake. Another risk comes from clipper malware, which modifies copied wallet addresses to replace them with an attacker’s address. address poisoning address poisoning clipper malware clipper malware To avoid these threats, always double-check the address character by character before confirming a transaction, and consider using a hardware wallet with a secure display for address verification. Some digital wallets, like MetaMask and Obyte, also allow the addition of addresses as contacts, making the process easier and more secure. In Obyte, you can also avoid addresses completely and use textcoins and attestations instead. Some digital wallets, like MetaMask and Obyte, also allow the addition of addresses as contacts, making the process easier and more secure. like MetaMask and Obyte like MetaMask and Obyte use textcoins and attestations instead use textcoins and attestations instead If coins are mistakenly sent to an unknown address, recovery is nearly impossible unless the recipient willingly returns them. You could send them a message (data) through another transaction if the network allows this function. For instance, this is possible through memos or tags in Ripple and Stellar, through OP_Return in Bitcoin, and just by sending data instead of funds in Obyte. through OP_Return through OP_Return Wrong Networks Wrong Networks If funds are sent to the wrong network or chain, recovery may be possible depending on compatibility. Some chains, like Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain (BSC), share the same address system, meaning assets may still be accessible through the same wallet on the correct network. In this case, adding the missing network to your multicurrency wallet (like MetaMask) and switching networks might reveal the funds. If funds are sent to the wrong network or chain, recovery may be possible depending on compatibility. depending on compatibility depending on compatibility However, non-compatible networks, such as Ethereum and Algorand, use different address structures, meaning tokens sent across them (if the transaction doesn't fail before being sent) are often lost permanently. Before transferring funds, always confirm the correct network and use a reputable cross-chain bridge if you need the funds in a different chain. a reputable cross-chain bridge a reputable cross-chain bridge In cases where funds are sent to an exchange by mistake, contacting their support team may help, though success depends on their policies. As a preventive measure, always test with a small amount first, ensure you are using the correct address, and verify network compatibility before making significant transactions. As a last resource, you could hire a company that specializes in funds recovery, like CNC Intelligence or CipherBlade. They may not succeed, though, and note that there are a lot of scammers claiming to be able to help with funds recovery. Always do your own research. As a preventive measure, always test with a small amount first, ensure you are using the correct address, and verify network compatibility before making significant transactions Troubleshooting in Obyte We follow general crypto best practices here: always back up your private keys, double-check addresses before sending (or better yet, use textcoins or attestations), and ensure you have enough GBYTE to cover transaction fees. If you’re using our decentralized exchanges (Oswap.io and ODEX) or our cross-chain bridge (Counterstake), check liquidity first to avoid failed swaps or delays. Additionally, since the major Obyte network upgrade in November 2024, older wallet versions are no longer compatible. If you’re experiencing issues, updating to the latest version is the first step to resolving many problems. Oswap.io Oswap.io ODEX ODEX Counterstake Counterstake major Obyte network upgrade major Obyte network upgrade Some common transaction errors can be fixed easily. If you encounter "could not send payment: authentifier verification failed," it likely means smart contract conditions haven’t been met. Contact your counterparty and, if applicable, your arbiter. "No bytes to pay fees" simply means you need to add GBYTE to your wallet before making a transaction that uses another token. Connection-related issues, such as "connect to light vendor failed," or "internal connection closed" might require checking your connection, your firewall settings, disabling Tor, or switching to a different hub. The last two options are available in the Settings (Global Preferences) of the wallet. Some common transaction errors Some common transaction errors If you encounter "could not send payment: authentifier verification failed," it likely means smart contract conditions haven’t been met. your arbiter your arbiter For private transactions, a "too many messages" error when sending Blackbytes can often be fixed by splitting the transfer into smaller amounts. If none of these solutions work, the #helpdesk channel in the Obyte Discord server is the best place to seek further assistance. Blackbytes Blackbytes Obyte Discord server Obyte Discord server Featured Vector Image by vectorjuice / Freepik Featured Vector Image by vectorjuice / Freepik Freepik Freepik

Crypto Troubleshooting: Simple Solutions to Common Problems

حل المشكلات: حلول بسيطة للمشاكل المشتركة

Solución de problemas de criptografía: soluciones simples a problemas comunes

Solución de problemas de criptografía: solucións sinxelas a problemas comúns

Crypto Troubleshooting: soluzioni semplici ai problemi comuni

暗号のトラブルシューティング: よくある問題に対する簡単な解決策

Penyelesaian Masalah Kripto: Penyelesaian Mudah untuk Masalah Biasa

Depanare Crypto: soluții simple la probleme comune

Crypto Gukemura Ikibazo: Ibisubizo Byoroshye Kubibazo Bisanzwe

ERROR: invalid target_lang (sn)

Crypto Troubleshooting: Solusions Simple to Common Problems (Diiwaanka Crypto: Solusions Simple to Common Problems)

Zgjidhja e problemeve të kriptove: Zgjidhje të thjeshta për problemet e zakonshme

Usuluhishi wa Crypto: Suluhisho Rahisi kwa Shida za Kawaida

Theoretical Physics: Gaps in Reality, Existence,  Panpsychism, and Biology

Is a Former President Entitled to Immunity? The U.S. Supreme Court Discusses

People know Vinay Gupta for his work on Ethereum and Mattereum, and he’s also a remarkable cypherpunk. He was an early adopter of E-Gold (a precursor of digital coins) and actively participated in its community in the 1990s until its shutdown. His practical view of cryptocurrencies and his resistance to state interference have established him as an influential voice in the crypto market. In this article, we give recognition to Vinay Gupta as we’re looking at how cypherpunks and their efforts in coding have influenced the crypto world and beyond. Gupta's contribution testifies to the impact these pioneers have had on forging real online freedom. Born to an Indian mother and a Scottish father in January 1972, Gupta spent his childhood in the United Kingdom. He didn’t complete his computer science degree at the University of Edinburgh, but he still managed to build a successful career in the technology industry. Gupta started his journey in commercial software development in 1992. His work spanned a variety of projects, including medical imaging, flight simulation, and disaster relief. Companies and organizations such as Silicon Graphics and the Internet Archive have been his workplaces. He demonstrated his versatility as a developer there, but it was just the beginning. Around 1997, his commitment to cypherpunk ideals led him to join CryptoRights, an organization that developed cryptographic software to combat human rights abuses in China. Since then, Gupta has continued his fight for the protection of human rights and digital liberty. A Failure of Cypherpunks In the early 2010s, Gupta became attracted to Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). In 2015, he was a coordinator and an important participant in the launch of Ethereum. He also took advantage of his speech in the first DEVCON to emphasize past mistakes made by the cypherpunk movement when creating economically sustainable systems, and offered a potential solution for them. “This is the first large failure of cypherpunk(s), that we didn’t manage to sort out, which was we didn’t manage to do sufficiently heavyweight funding of public works, we didn't keep the money flowing in after the initial push was made, which results in projects going into maintenance mode (…) for the cypherpunk movement to succeed what we needed was voluntarist taxation, we needed people to put a tithe of their income, maybe 10% as an allocated preordained amount that would be spent building a future in which people have liberty”. Such a system hasn’t been applied yet, but Gupta went forward with his own projects. He was a strategic architect for the Ethereum-related firm Consensys and has been involved in the development of other projects besides Ethereum. He invented, for instance, the Hexayurt shelter system. **  ** This low-cost disaster shelter design has a place today in refugee camps and desert festivals like Burning Man. Gupta has also worked together with the United Nations and other organizations, and they’ve been exploring together how DLT tools could create a positive social impact. Gupta is now recognized as a leader and innovator in the crypto world. He has received invitations to speak at conferences worldwide and has written a lot on the subject. He holds a strong belief in the DTL potential, which he sees as a solution to global challenges like poverty, inequality, and climate change. Mattereum and Sustainability Gupta founded Mattereum in 2017. This is an Internet-of-Agreement infrastructure project to digitize physical assets through a system of digital twin contracts. His vision revolves around creating legal contracts for physical objects, which can be digitally executed and fulfilled. The goal of this method is to digitally manage physical assets in a way that is both efficient and transparent. Mattereum has a goal to transform global commerce. It plans to do this through tokenization and fractionation of physical world assets while protecting them by international legislation. To make this possible, Mattereum uses the Ricardian contract technology created by another cypherpunk, Ian Grigg. This technology combines cryptographically signed contracts that favor legal prose, readable by both humans and machines. ** The semantic richness of Ricardian contracts is a key feature. In case of a dispute, it allows for a resolution through an arbitration process. Moreover, the world’s manufactured goods tokenization could lead to an efficient global market. In this market, assets can be bought, sold, rented, allocated, and divided through Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). Mattereum is also tackling a consumer issue. Consumers often buy goods to be quickly thrown away, without even knowing their origin or ecological impact. To address this, Mattereum introduced Mattereum Asset Passports (MAP). MAP uses suites of contracts to define asset value and risks. This encourages manufacturers and consumers to move towards total sustainability. In this new model, the goods have a transparent origin and are designed to be re-sold or re-used later over many years in what they call a “spiral economy”. This drastically reduces waste for the future. As Gupta said himself: “Nothing is so unloved that it needs to be thrown away.” Tokens and Contracts for the Future The cypherpunk ideals promote the adoption of robust cryptography and technologies that enhance privacy, security, and online freedom for everyone. These are seen as a route to effect social and political change. In the same line of thought, Mattereum and Obyte are clear exponents of this worldview. Obyte shares some aspects of Mattereum's vision to advance asset tokenization and sustainability. On Obyte, assets are tokenized within an environmentally friendly Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG), making it easy and inexpensive to create custom assets. This asset tokenization process involves converting ownership rights over any physical or digital asset into tokens on the ledger. Besides, Obyte offers prosaic contracts, loosely similar to the legally binding Ricardian contracts. These are conventional contracts written in natural language, readable by humans, signed digitally, and enforceable by international law. This feature allows two parties to cryptographically sign the contract text using their wallets while registering the agreement forever on the DAG. They’re not as automatic as smart contracts, though. So, in case of a dispute, either party can disclose the document and conditions to a legal third party. On the other hand, Obyte has contracts with arbitration too, which are closer to Ricardian contracts in functionality. They’re smart contracts combined with conventional contracts with the addition of a professional arbiter from the ArbStore, available to solve any potential disputes. Users can offer that type of smart contract from the wallet to anyone worldwide, without coding, and knowing that they’ll be protected against fraud by the arbiters. Unlike what happens with traditional legal contracts, they won’t need to spend high fees and long periods in a legal court. Instead, they can pay a small fee to the ArbStore arbiter they chose to quickly solve any dispute that may arise. This way, Obyte is streamlining the process of dispute resolution and asset management, fostering a more accessible, sustainable, and secure digital economy. Read more from Cypherpunks Write Code series: Tim May & Crypto-anarchism
Wei Dai & B-money
Nick Szabo & Smart Contracts
Adam Back & Hashcash
Eric Hughes & Remailer
St Jude & Community Memory
Julian Assange & Wikileaks
Hal Finney & RPOW
John Gilmore & EFF
Satoshi Nakamoto & Bitcoin
Gregory Maxwell & Bitcoin Core Featured Vector Image by Garry Killian / Freepik Photograph of Vinay Gupta by Matthereum People know Vinay Gupta for his work on Ethereum and Mattereum, and he’s also a remarkable cypherpunk. He was an early adopter of E-Gold (a precursor of digital coins) and actively participated in its community in the 1990s until its shutdown. His practical view of cryptocurrencies and his resistance to state interference have established him as an influential voice in the crypto market. His practical view of cryptocurrencies and his resistance to state interference have established him as an influential voice in the crypto market. In this article, we give recognition to Vinay Gupta as we’re looking at how cypherpunks and their efforts in coding have influenced the crypto world and beyond. Gupta's contribution testifies to the impact these pioneers have had on forging real online freedom. Vinay Gupta Vinay Gupta Born to an Indian mother and a Scottish father in January 1972, Gupta spent his childhood in the United Kingdom. He didn’t complete his computer science degree at the University of Edinburgh, but he still managed to build a successful career in the technology industry. Gupta started his journey in commercial software development in 1992. His work spanned a variety of projects, including medical imaging, flight simulation, and disaster relief. Companies and organizations such as Silicon Graphics and the Internet Archive have been his workplaces. He demonstrated his versatility as a developer there, but it was just the beginning. spanned spanned Around 1997, his commitment to cypherpunk ideals led him to join CryptoRights, an organization that developed cryptographic software to combat human rights abuses in China. Since then, Gupta has continued his fight for the protection of human rights and digital liberty. A Failure of Cypherpunks A Failure of Cypherpunks In the early 2010s, Gupta became attracted to Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). In 2015, he was a coordinator and an important participant in the launch of Ethereum. He also took advantage of his speech in the first DEVCON to emphasize past mistakes made by the cypherpunk movement when creating economically sustainable systems , and offered a potential solution for them. first DEVCON first DEVCON to emphasize past mistakes made by the cypherpunk movement when creating economically sustainable systems “This is the first large failure of cypherpunk(s), that we didn’t manage to sort out, which was we didn’t manage to do sufficiently heavyweight funding of public works, we didn't keep the money flowing in after the initial push was made, which results in projects going into maintenance mode (…) for the cypherpunk movement to succeed what we needed was voluntarist taxation, we needed people to put a tithe of their income, maybe 10% as an allocated preordained amount that would be spent building a future in which people have liberty”. “This is the first large failure of cypherpunk(s), that we didn’t manage to sort out, which was we didn’t manage to do sufficiently heavyweight funding of public works, we didn't keep the money flowing in after the initial push was made, which results in projects going into maintenance mode (…) for the cypherpunk movement to succeed what we needed was voluntarist taxation, we needed people to put a tithe of their income, maybe 10% as an allocated preordained amount that would be spent building a future in which people have liberty”. Such a system hasn’t been applied yet, but Gupta went forward with his own projects. He was a strategic architect for the Ethereum-related firm Consensys and has been involved in the development of other projects besides Ethereum. He invented, for instance, the Hexayurt shelter system. ** ** This low-cost disaster shelter design has a place today in refugee camps and desert festivals like Burning Man . Gupta has also worked together with the United Nations and other organizations, and they’ve been exploring together how DLT tools could create a positive social impact. Burning Man Burning Man Gupta is now recognized as a leader and innovator in the crypto world. He has received invitations to speak at conferences worldwide and has written a lot on the subject. He holds a strong belief in the DTL potential, which he sees as a solution to global challenges like poverty, inequality, and climate change. Mattereum and Sustainability Mattereum and Sustainability Gupta founded Mattereum in 2017. This is an Internet-of-Agreement infrastructure project to digitize physical assets through a system of digital twin contracts. His vision revolves around creating legal contracts for physical objects, which can be digitally executed and fulfilled. The goal of this method is to digitally manage physical assets in a way that is both efficient and transparent. Mattereum Mattereum His vision revolves around creating legal contracts for physical objects, which can be digitally executed and fulfilled. Mattereum has a goal to transform global commerce. It plans to do this through tokenization and fractionation of physical world assets while protecting them by international legislation. To make this possible, Mattereum uses the Ricardian contract technology created by another cypherpunk, Ian Grigg . This technology combines cryptographically signed contracts that favor legal prose, readable by both humans and machines. Mattereum Mattereum Ian Grigg Ian Grigg ** The semantic richness of Ricardian contracts is a key feature. In case of a dispute, it allows for a resolution through an arbitration process. Moreover, the world’s manufactured goods tokenization could lead to an efficient global market. In this market, assets can be bought, sold, rented, allocated, and divided through Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). Mattereum is also tackling a consumer issue. Consumers often buy goods to be quickly thrown away, without even knowing their origin or ecological impact. To address this, Mattereum introduced Mattereum Asset Passports (MAP). MAP uses suites of contracts to define asset value and risks. This encourages manufacturers and consumers to move towards total sustainability. In this new model, the goods have a transparent origin and are designed to be re-sold or re-used later over many years in what they call a “ spiral economy ”. This drastically reduces waste for the future. As Gupta said himself: “Nothing is so unloved that it needs to be thrown away.” Mattereum Asset Passports Mattereum Asset Passports spiral economy spiral economy Tokens and Contracts for the Future Tokens and Contracts for the Future The cypherpunk ideals promote the adoption of robust cryptography and technologies that enhance privacy, security, and online freedom for everyone. These are seen as a route to effect social and political change. In the same line of thought, Mattereum and Obyte are clear exponents of this worldview. Obyte shares some aspects of Mattereum's vision to advance asset tokenization and sustainability. On Obyte, assets are tokenized within an environmentally friendly Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG), making it easy and inexpensive to create custom assets. This asset tokenization process involves converting ownership rights over any physical or digital asset into tokens on the ledger. Obyte Obyte On Obyte, assets are tokenized within an environmentally friendly Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG), making it easy and inexpensive to create custom assets . to create custom assets to create custom assets Besides, Obyte offers prosaic contracts , loosely similar to the legally binding Ricardian contracts. These are conventional contracts written in natural language, readable by humans, signed digitally, and enforceable by international law. This feature allows two parties to cryptographically sign the contract text using their wallets while registering the agreement forever on the DAG. prosaic contracts prosaic contracts They’re not as automatic as smart contracts, though. So, in case of a dispute, either party can disclose the document and conditions to a legal third party. On the other hand, Obyte has contracts with arbitration too, which are closer to Ricardian contracts in functionality. They’re smart contracts combined with conventional contracts with the addition of a professional arbiter from the ArbStore, available to solve any potential disputes. On the other hand, Obyte has contracts with arbitration too, which are closer to Ricardian contracts in functionality. contracts with arbitration contracts with arbitration Users can offer that type of smart contract from the wallet to anyone worldwide, without coding, and knowing that they’ll be protected against fraud by the arbiters. Unlike what happens with traditional legal contracts, they won’t need to spend high fees and long periods in a legal court. Instead, they can pay a small fee to the ArbStore arbiter they chose to quickly solve any dispute that may arise. ArbStore ArbStore This way, Obyte is streamlining the process of dispute resolution and asset management, fostering a more accessible, sustainable, and secure digital economy. Read more from Cypherpunks Write Code series: Read more from Cypherpunks Write Code series: Tim May & Crypto-anarchism Wei Dai & B-money Nick Szabo & Smart Contracts Adam Back & Hashcash Eric Hughes & Remailer St Jude & Community Memory Julian Assange & Wikileaks Hal Finney & RPOW John Gilmore & EFF Satoshi Nakamoto & Bitcoin Gregory Maxwell & Bitcoin Core Tim May & Crypto-anarchism Tim May & Crypto-anarchism Tim May & Crypto-anarchism Tim May & Crypto-anarchism Wei Dai & B-money Wei Dai & B-money Wei Dai & B-money Wei Dai & B-money Nick Szabo & Smart Contracts Nick Szabo & Smart Contracts Nick Szabo & Smart Contracts Nick Szabo & Smart Contracts Adam Back & Hashcash Adam Back & Hashcash Adam Back & Hashcash Adam Back & Hashcash Eric Hughes & Remailer Eric Hughes & Remailer Eric Hughes & Remailer Eric Hughes & Remailer St Jude & Community Memory St Jude & Community Memory St Jude & Community Memory St Jude & Community Memory Julian Assange & Wikileaks Julian Assange & Wikileaks Julian Assange & Wikileaks Hal Finney & RPOW Hal Finney & RPOW Hal Finney & RPOW Hal Finney & RPOW John Gilmore & EFF John Gilmore & EFF John Gilmore & EFF John Gilmore & EFF Satoshi Nakamoto & Bitcoin Satoshi Nakamoto & Bitcoin Satoshi Nakamoto & Bitcoin Satoshi Nakamoto & Bitcoin Gregory Maxwell & Bitcoin Core Gregory Maxwell & Bitcoin Core Gregory Maxwell & Bitcoin Core Gregory Maxwell & Bitcoin Core Featured Vector Image by Garry Killian / Freepik Featured Vector Image by Garry Killian / Freepik Freepik Freepik Photograph of Vinay Gupta by Matthereum Photograph of Vinay Gupta by Matthereum Matthereum Matthereum

Cypherpunks Write Code: Vinay Gupta and Mattereum

সাইফারপাঙ্কস কোড লিখুন: বিনয় গুপ্ত এবং ম্যাটেরিয়াম

Cypherpunks schreiben Code: Vinay Gupta und Mattereum

Código de escritura de Cypherpunks: Vinay Gupta y Mattereum

Cypherpunks écrivent du code : Vinay Gupta et Mattereum

साइफरपंक्स कोड लिखें: विनय गुप्ता और मैटरियम

サイファーパンクがコードを書く: Vinay Gupta と Mattereum

Cypherpunks 작성 코드: Vinay Gupta 및 Mattereum

Cypherpunks escrevem código: Vinay Gupta e Mattereum

Шифропанки пишут код: Винай Гупта и Mattereum

Şifrepunklar Kod Yazıyor: Vinay Gupta ve Mattereum

Cypherpunks viết mã: Vinay Gupta và Mattereum

密码朋克编写代码：Vinay Gupta 和 Mattereum

Exit Strategies For Tech Entrepreneurs: Knowing When And How To Sell

How to Write Clearly: Rules and Exercises on English Composition by Edwin Abbott Abbott, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . WORDS. here WORDS. 1. Use words in their proper sense. Write, not "His apparent guilt justified his friends in disowning him," but "his evident guilt." "Conscious" and "aware," "unnatural" and "supernatural," "transpire" and "occur," "circumstance" and "event," "reverse" and "converse," "eliminate" and "elicit," are often confused together. This rule forbids the use of the same word in different senses. "It is in my power to refuse your request, and since I have power to do this, I may lawfully do it." Here the second "power" is used for "authority." This rule also forbids the slovenly use of "nice," "awfully," "delicious," "glorious," &c. See (2). 2. Avoid exaggerations. "The boundless plains in the heart of the empire furnished inexhaustible supplies of corn, that would have almost sufficed for twice the population." Here "inexhaustible" is inconsistent with what follows. The words "unprecedented," "incalculable," "very," and "stupendous" are often used in the same loose way. 3. Avoid useless circumlocution and "fine writing." "Her Majesty here partook of lunch." Write "lunched." "Partook of" implies sharing, and is incorrect as well as lengthy. So, do not use "apex" for "top," "species" for "kind," "individual" for "man," "assist" for "help," &c. [5] 4. Be careful how you use the following words: "not … and," "any," "only," "not … or," "that." See below, "Or." And. —"I am not bound to receive any messenger that you send."
Does this mean every, or a single? Use "every" or "a single." —(1) "I do not intend to help you, because you are my enemy &c." ought to mean (2), "I intend not to help you, and my reason for not helping you is, because you are my enemy." But it is often wrongly used to mean (3), "I intend to help you, not because you are my enemy (but because you are poor, blind, &c.)." In the latter case, not ought to be separated from intend. By distinctly marking the limits to which the influence of not extends, the ambiguity may be removed. Any. Not. is often used ambiguously for alone. "The rest help me to revenge myself; you only advise me to wait." This ought to mean, "you only advise, instead of helping;" but in similar sentences "you only" is often used for "you alone." But see 21. Only —When "or" is preceded by a negative, as "I do not want butter or honey," "or" ought not, strictly speaking, to be used like "and," nor like "nor." The strict use of "not … or" would be as follows:— Or. "You say you don't want both butter and honey—you want butter or honey; I, on the contrary, do not want butter or honey—I want them both." Practically, however, this meaning is so rare, that "I don't want butter or honey" is regularly used for "I want neither butter nor honey." But where there is the slightest danger of ambiguity, it is desirable to use nor. The same ambiguity attends "not … and." "I do not see Thomas and John" is commonly used for "I see neither Thomas nor John;" but it might mean, "I do not see them both—I see only one of them." —The different uses of "that" produce much ambiguity, e.g. "I am so much surprised by this statement that I am desirous of resigning, that I scarcely know what reply to make." Here it is impossible to tell, till one has read past "resigning," whether the first "that" depends upon "so" or "statement." Write: "The statement that I am desirous of resigning surprises me so much that I scarcely know &c." That. 4 a. Be careful in the use of ambiguous words, e.g. "certain." "Certain" is often used for "some," as in "Independently of his earnings, he has a certain property," where the meaning might be "unfailing." Under this head may be mentioned the double use of words, such as "left" in the same form and sound, but different in meaning. Even where there is no obscurity, the juxtaposition of the same word twice used in two senses is inelegant, e.g. (Bain), "He turned to the left and left the room." I have known the following slovenly sentence misunderstood: "Our object is that, with the aid of practice, we may sometime arrive at the point where we think eloquence in its most praiseworthy form to lie." "To lie" has been supposed to mean "to deceive." (For "which" see 8.) The ambiguity arising from the use of he applying to different persons is well known. 5. Be careful how you use "he," "it," "they," "these," &c. "He told his friend that if he did not feel better in half an hour he thought he had better return." See (6) for remedy. Much ambiguity is also caused by excessive use of such phrases as in this way, of this sort, &c. "God, foreseeing the disorders of human nature, has given us certain passions and affections which arise from, or whose objects are, these disorders. Of this sort are fear, resentment, compassion." Repeat the noun: "Among these passions and affections are fear &c." Two distinct uses of it may be noted. It, when referring to something that precedes, may be called "retrospective;" but when to something that follows, "prospective." In "Avoid indiscriminate charity: it is a crime," "it" is retrospective.[6] In "It is a crime to give indiscriminately," "it" is prospective. The prospective "it," if productive of ambiguity, can often be omitted by using the infinitive as a subject: "To give indiscriminately is a crime." Speeches in the third person afford a particular, though very common case, of the general ambiguity mentioned in (5). Instead of "He told his friend that if he did not feel better &c.," write "He said to his friend, 'If, I (or you) don't feel better &c.'" 6. Report a speech in the First, not the Third Person, where necessary to avoid ambiguity. Thus, where Essex is asking Sir Robert Cecil that Francis Bacon may be appointed Attorney-General, the dialogue is (as it almost always is in Lord Macaulay's writings) in the First Person, except where it becomes tedious and uninteresting so as to require condensation, and then it drops into the Third Person: 6 a. Sometimes, where the writer cannot know the exact words, or where the exact words are unimportant, or lengthy and uninteresting, the Third Person is preferable. "Sir Robert had nothing to say but that he thought his own abilities equal to the place which he hoped to obtain, and that his father's long services deserved such a mark of gratitude from the Queen." —Even when a speech is reported in the third person, "that" need not always be inserted before the dependent verb. Thus, instead of "He said that he took it ill that his promises were not believed," we may write, "'He took it ill,' he said, 'that &c.'" This gives a little more life, and sometimes more clearness also. 6 b. Omission of "that" in a speech reported in the Third Person. 7. When you use a Participle, as "walking," implying "when," "while," "though," "that," make it clear by the context what is implied. "Republics, in the first instance, are never desired for their own sakes. I do not think they will finally be desired at all, unaccompanied by courtly graces and good breeding." Here there is a little doubt whether the meaning is "since they are, or, if they are, unaccompanied." —"Men walking (that walk, or when they walk) on ice sometimes fall." That or when. It is better to use "men walking" to mean "men when they walk." If the relative is meant, use "men that walk," instead of the participle. (1) "While he was } Walking on { (1) the road, } he fell." (2) "Because he was } { (2) the ice, } When the participle precedes the subject, it generally implies a cause: "Seeing this, he retired." Otherwise it generally has its proper participial meaning, e.g. "He retired, keeping his face towards us." If there is any ambiguity, write "on seeing,"—"at the same time, or while, keeping." (1) "Though he was} {(1) he nevertheless stood
} { his ground." (2) "Since he was } Struck with terror, {(2) he rapidly retreated." (3) "If he is } {(3) he will soon retreat.” 8. When using the Relative Pronoun, use "who" and "which" where the meaning is "and he, it, &c.," "for he, it, &c." In other cases use "that," if euphony allows. "I heard this from the inspector, who (and he) heard it from the guard that travelled with the train." "Fetch me (all) the books that lie on the table, and also the pamphlets, which (and these) you will find on the floor." An adherence to this rule would remove much ambiguity. Thus: "There was a public-house next door, which was a great nuisance," means "and this (i.e. the fact of its being next door) was a great nuisance;" whereas that would have meant "Next door was a public-house that (i.e. the public-house) was a great nuisance." Thus, in the first example above, "inspector" is complete in itself, and "who" introduces a new fact about him; "guard" is incomplete, and requires "that travelled with the train" to complete the meaning. "Who," "which," &c. introduce a new fact about the antecedent, whereas "that" introduces something without which the antecedent is incomplete or undefined. It is not, and cannot be, maintained that this rule, though observed in Elizabethan English, is observed by our best modern authors. (Probably a general impression that "that" cannot be used to refer to persons has assisted "who" in supplanting "that" as a relative.) But the convenience of the rule is so great that beginners in composition may with advantage adhere to the rule. The following are some of the cases where who and which are mostly used, contrary to the rule, instead of that. — Exceptions: (a) When the antecedent is defined, e.g. by a possessive case, modern English uses who instead of that. It is rare, though it would be useful,[7] to say "His English friends that had not seen him" for "the English friends, or those of his English friends, that had not seen him." (b) That sounds ill when separated from its verb and from its antecedents, and emphasized by isolation: "There are many persons that, though unscrupulous, are commonly good-tempered, and that, if not strongly incited by self-interest, are ready for the most part to think of the interest of their neighbours." Shakespeare frequently uses who after that when the relative is repeated. See "Shakespearian Grammar," par. 260. (c) If the antecedent is qualified by that, the relative must not be that. Besides other considerations, the repetition is disagreeable. Addison ridicules such language as "That remark that I made yesterday is not that that I said that I regretted that I had made." (d) That cannot be preceded by a preposition, and hence throws the preposition to the end. "This is the rule that I adhere to." This is perfectly good English, though sometimes unnecessarily avoided. But, with some prepositions, the construction is harsh and objectionable, e.g. "This is the mark that I jumped beyond," "Such were the prejudices that he rose above." The reason is that some of these disyllabic prepositions are used as adverbs, and, when separated from their nouns, give one the impression that they are used as adverbs. (e) After pronominal adjectives used for personal pronouns, modern English prefers who. "There are many, others, several, those, who can testify &c." (f) After that used as a conjunction there is sometimes a dislike to use that as a relative. See (c). 9. Do not use redundant "and" before "which."[8] "I gave him a very interesting book for a present, and which cost me five shillings." In short sentences the absurdity is evident, but in long sentences it is less evident, and very common. "A petition was presented for rescinding that portion of the bye-laws which permits application of public money to support sectarian schools over which ratepayers have no control, this being a violation of the principle of civil and religious liberty, and which the memorialists believe would provoke a determined and conscientious resistance." Here which ought grammatically to refer to "portion" or "schools." But it seems intended to refer to "violation." Omit "and," or repeat "a violation" before "which," or turn the sentence otherwise. 10. Equivalents for Relative. —"Men thirsting (for 'men that thirst') for revenge are not indifferent to plunder." The objection to the participle is that here, as often, it creates a little ambiguity. The above sentence may mean, "men, when they thirst," or "though they thirst," as well as "men that thirst." Often however there is no ambiguity: "I have documents proving this conclusively." (a) Participle. —Instead of "He was the first that entered" you can write "to enter;" for "He is not a man who will act dishonestly," "to act." This equivalent cannot often be used. (b) Infinitive. can sometimes be used for "by which," "in which," so as to avoid a harsh repetition of "which." "The means whereby this may be effected." But this use is somewhat antiquated. (c) Whereby, wherein, &c., —"The man that does not care for music is to be pitied" can be written (though not so forcibly), "If a man does not care for music, he is to be pitied." It is in long sentences that this equivalent will be found most useful. (d) If. —"He did his best, which was all that could be expected," can be written, "and this was all that, &c." (e) And this. —"Let me repeat that which[9] you ought to know, that that which is worth doing is worth doing well." "Let me repeat, what you ought to know, that what is worth doing is worth doing well." (f) What. —It is sometimes thought ungrammatical to omit the relative, as in "The man (that) you speak of." On the contrary, that when an object (not when a subject) may be omitted, wherever the antecedent and the subject of the relative sentence are brought into juxtaposition by the omission. (g) Omission of Relative. This is particularly useful after a negative: "He said that he would not even hear me, which I confess I had expected." Here the meaning may be, "I had expected that he would," or "that he would not, hear me." Write, "a refusal, or, a favour, that I confess I had expected." See (38). 10 a'. Repeat the Antecedent in some new form, where there is any ambiguity. —This is a most important rule. Instead of "I have neither the necessaries of life nor the means of procuring them," write (if you can with truth), "I have not a crust of bread, nor a penny to buy one." 11. Use particular for general terms. CAUTION.—There is a danger in this use. The meaning is vividly expressed but sometimes may be exaggerated or imperfect. Crust of bread may be an exaggeration; on the other hand, if the speaker is destitute not only of bread, but also of shelter and clothing, then crust of bread is an imperfect expression of the meaning. In philosophy and science, where the language ought very often to be inclusive and brief, general and not particular terms must be used. The disadvantage of the use of Verbal Nouns is this, that, unless they are immediately preceded by prepositions, they are sometimes liable to be confounded with participles. The following is an instance of an excessive use of Verbal Nouns: 11 a. Avoid Verbal Nouns where Verbs can be used instead. "The pretended confession of the secretary was only collusion to lay the jealousies of the king's favouring popery, which still hung upon him, notwithstanding his writing on the Revelation, and affecting to enter on all occasions into controversy, asserting in particular that the Pope was Antichrist." Write "notwithstanding that he wrote and affected &c." 12. Use a particular Person instead of a class. "What is the splendour of the greatest monarch compared with the beauty of a flower?" "What is the splendour of Solomon compared with the beauty of a daisy?" Under this head may come the forcible use of Noun for Adjective: "This fortress is weakness itself." An excess of this use is lengthy and pedantically bombastic, e.g., the following paraphrase for "in every British colony:"—"under Indian palm-groves, amid Australian gum-trees, in the shadow of African mimosas, and beneath Canadian pines." 13. Use Metaphor instead of literal statement. "The ship ploughs the sea" is clearer than "the ship cleaves the sea," and shorter than "the ship cleaves the sea as a plough cleaves the land." Of course there are some subjects for which Metaphor should not be used. See (14 a) and (14 b). 14. Do not confuse Metaphor. "In a moment the thunderbolt was upon them, deluging their country with invaders." The following is attributed to Sir Boyle Roche: "Mr. Speaker, I smell a rat, I see him brewing in the air; but, mark me, I shall yet nip him in the bud." Some words, once metaphorical, have ceased to be so regarded. Hence many good writers say "under these circumstances" instead of "in these circumstances." An excessive regard for disused metaphor savours of pedantry: disregard is inelegant. Write, not, "unparalleled complications," but "unprecedented complications;" and "he threw light on obscurities," instead of "he unravelled obscurities." 14 a. Do not introduce literal statement immediately after Metaphor. "He was the father of Chemistry, and brother to the Earl of Cork." "He was a very thunderbolt of war,
And was lieutenant to the Earl of Mar." Thus, we may say "a poet soars," or even, though rarely, "a nation soars to greatness," but you could not say "Consols soared to 94-1/2." Even commonplace subjects may be illustrated by metaphor: for it is a metaphor, and quite unobjectionable, to say "Consols mounted, or jumped to 94-1/2." But commonplace subjects must be illustrated by metaphor that is commonplace. 14 b. Do not use poetic metaphor to illustrate a prosaic subject. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Edwin Abbott Abbott (2007). How to Write Clearly: Rules and Exercises on English Composition. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/22600/pg22600.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

Use words in their proper sense

REVIVING HOPES AND BRIGHTENING PROSPECTS.

One year ago, OpenAI unleashed a seismic shock wave with the release of ChatGPT, and content creators have been experiencing collective angst ever since. In a world where generative AI can effortlessly create visual and creative content, what happens to humans? Well, as it turns out, in all its forms can replace anyone, from CEOs to writers. So, this existential question applies to everyone reading this post, no matter what you do. And no one really knows the answer. But I think the acclaimed music producer Rick Rubin offers us a clue. AI “I Know Nothing about Music” Rubin’s achievements are nothing short of legendary. He has succeeded by collaborating with artists across genres ranging from hip-hop to country. He co-founded Def Jam Records, one of the most influential hip-hop record labels of all time. His work with LL Cool J and Run-DMC helped to introduce hip-hop to a wider audience, and his production on the Beastie Boys’ debut album, , helped to solidify the group as one of the biggest acts in the genre. In the 1990s, he famously rejuvenated the flagging career of Johnny Cash, acting as producer on Johnny Cash’s album . That LP (followed by five more also produced by Rubin) is considered to be one of the greatest comeback albums in music history. Licensed to Ill American Recordings Earlier in 2023,  Rubin talked with “60 Minutes” in a much-discussed interview about his life, career, and philosophy. The entire interview is worth watching. But make sure you listen about 2 minutes in when Anderson Cooper asks him, “Do you play instruments?” Rubin replies bluntly, “Barely.” Furthermore, he says he does not know how to use a soundboard, and he has no technical ability. He adds, “I know nothing about music.” “You must know something,” Cooper replies, laughing. “I know what I like and what I don’t like. I’m decisive about what I like and what I don’t like.” “So what are you being paid for?” an incredulous Cooper asks. Rubin answers, “The confidence that I have in my taste and my ability to express what I feel has proven helpful for artists.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUbUn9FnrME&embedable=true Think about that. One of the most successful producers in music history says he knows nothing about music and that he does not know how to use the technical tools of the trade. Ironically, by leaning into his instincts, he’s cultivated a skill that AI cannot touch – so far. A Groundbreaking Collaboration And his track record bears out his remarks. He famously helped Johnny Cash reclaim his career – which was experiencing a very lean period in the early 1990s – by inviting Cash to simply play his guitar alone and unplugged. As Cash would later recount in the liner notes for an anthology, Rubin suggested to Cash, “You would take your guitar, sit down in front of a microphone, and sing me the songs you love. Just sing me everything you want to record.” American Recordings Sounds almost prosaic, right? But the proposal was pure genius: Cash had actually never recorded like that. Throughout his entire career, going back to the 1950s, Cash had always recorded with other musicians. With Rubin, Cash’s sound was stripped to its bare essence of storytelling, something that Rubin felt was lacking at that point in Cash’s career. In addition, Rubin had done his homework on Cash. He knew Cash could be a man of few words in meetings. So, Rubin encouraged Cash to speak through his music. Getting Cash to play music was a way of building rapport. At first, Rubin did not turn on the recording equipment — he just asked Cash to start playing. Cash dipped into his songbook to play a range of music, from gospel to train songs. Rubin listened to Cash’s selections and applied his own instincts to help Cash select the songs that would form the basis of , including a song about a man who commits a brutal murder (“Delia’s Gone”), which Rubin correctly realized would connect Cash emotionally to contemporary musical tastes. American Recordings And that’s how they recorded their landmark series of albums together, with Rubin going on to convince Cash to take risks by recording with other artists and covering songs that had nothing to do with country on the surface – notably “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails – but had everything to do with Johnny Cash. The Value of Human Instinct How ironic. In a world where success is calculated, namely in dollars and cents and units sold, Rubin relies on an intangible: instinct. And I think he’s on to something important, leaning as he does into the human element. Rubin understands the importance of the intangibles that lie beyond the obvious aspects of a given trade, whether one is talking about writing content or creating images on video. It’s not the technical execution that has made Rick Rubin wildly successful and respected artistically. It’s instinct. And this instinct is not unique to Rick Rubin. He works at developing instinct by immersing himself in music, culture, new ideas, all the time, nonstop. He is a sponge for ideas, something he has discussed throughout 2023 in podcasts and media appearances to support the release of his recently published book, . The Creative Act: A Way of Being I highly recommend the book. He discusses the value of constantly keeping his mind open to ideas, even to the point of allowing himself to be “distracted” by simple acts such as walking. He writes about the importance of “collecting anything we find of interest” to find starting points for ideas and listening to his emotional response to those starting points. I find it interesting that he singles out human emotions (such as excitement), not intellectual responses as signposts for knowing he has come across an idea that has potential. Emotion is a distinctly human attribute. (And those of us in the marketing industry know that emotion is really what builds a connection between a human and a brand.) The Value of Mistakes He also discusses the value of mistakes. “Humanity breathes in mistakes,” he writes. “When something doesn't go according to plan, we have a choice to either resist it or incorporate it. Instead of shutting the project down or expressing frustration, we might consider what else can be done with the materials at hand. What solutions can be improvised? How can the flow be redirected?” Of course, embracing mistakes is counterintuitive to AI, at least when we want it to work properly. AI certainly repeats mistakes when it is fed inaccurate and biased data. But turning mistakes into beautiful art is a distinctly human attribute. The counterargument to my post is that AI can help anyone come up with fresh ideas, depending on how well you prompt it. And AI is just getting started learning how to think like us. An algorithm technically now does what Rick Rubin does by synthesizing ideas. But if it were that easy, generative AI would be creating new breakthrough stars every day. It’s generating synthetic music and even synthetic musicians via mimicry of existing work, to be sure, but AI has not replaced the gut instinct that results in creative breakthroughs. Then again, we don’t really know where AI is headed. This is why I say Rick Rubin offers a clue, not an answer, and it’s a fleeting one at best. But it’s a clue that will suffice for me today. Tomorrow – who knows?

Rick Rubin and the Human Touch: Can AI Replace Human Instinct?

রিক রুবিন এবং হিউম্যান টাচ: এআই কি মানব প্রবৃত্তি প্রতিস্থাপন করতে পারে?

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